Watson a



(No Model.) 8

W. A. HEATH.

. FIFTH WHEEL. N0. 266,819.y Patented' 0011. 31, 1882.

Fvgs UNITED STATES PATENT l EEIcE.

WATSON A. HEATH, OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK..

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 266,819, dated October 31, 1882.

Application led July 25, 1882.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WATSON A. HEATH, of Binghamton, in the county of 'Broome and State ot' New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Fifth-Wheels; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention is an improved fifth-wheel for carriages. It is designed more especially for childrens wagons and carriages, butis also applicable to whiftletrees, and to larger carriages.

It consists of a simple construction of interlocking disk and ring, all as hereinafter fully described,whereby the parts are held securely together without the use of king-bolts.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figurel repvpresents a plan of the two parts when interlooked. Fig. 2 represents a plan View of the upper ring. Fig. 3 shows a plan view of the disk. Fig. 4 shows a section on line :l: x of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a section on line y g/of Fig. 3.

Heretofore various forms oftit'th-wheels have been devised, in some of which lugs have been made to interlock over or under the edge of a wheel or plate, such parts being detachable in two positions'and more or less complex and expensive.

My objecthas been to produce a simple and cheap device which should not be liable to become detached by accident.

In the figures, A represents an annular plate or ring, which may be attached to the under surface of rocker or other equivalent part. Upon its forward side it is formed with two notches cut radially into its inner edge, as shown at a a. Upon the axle or an equivalent part (in case the device be used elsewhere than in the place of a fifth-wheel) is placed centrally a disk, B. This disk is exactly fit-ted to the central opening of the annular plate A, and is of the same thickness. Projecting over its edges are three lugs, c, c, and d. (Shown in Figs. 3 and 5.) Of these llugs two, c c, are narrower and are tted to enter the notches in the edge of the plate A. The lug d is Wider (No model.)

than said notches. The parts may be interlocked bypassing the opposite edge of the ring under the widelug d, and, the lugs c c having passed throughthe notches, the ring may be turned half-way round to bring the notches to the front,when the parts are securely interlocked, and the wheels cannot be moved without turning the ringor disk half-way round to bring the narrow lugs to register with the notches. The ring is represented as attached to a rocker or bolster, D, and the disk to a part of an axle, O. Then these parts are parallel to each other the broad lug will rest up on the ring midway between the two notches; but as it is wider than these notches it will pass over either of them. On the axle I place a metal plate, on which the annular plate or ring bears, and which receives the Wear. The whole connection is formed by the ring, and the disk, with its overlapping lugs and the ring moving on the metal plate, performs the ofce of a fifth-wheel. These may be connected to the parts which they hold together in any convenient way. I may make the ring or disk ot' malleable cast-iron or may swage them out from sheet metal.

I contemplate using the device as a means for connecting whiftletrees to the cross-bars, and it may be used in other like situations, and I may use a simple notch and lug.on one side instead of two; but I prefer to use two. I may use a central bolt, but it is not necessary.

.I claim as my invention- In the described connection, the notched ring A and disk B, having wide and narrow lugs, these parts being adapted to interlock and to connect the parts to which they are xed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereofI have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

W'A'ISO A. HEATH.

Witnesses E. A. Dick, DAVID H. MEAD. 

